Turkish Delight on the UES

So, I had another one of those "stumble upon" experiences this week.  By that I mean, I was planning on grabbing lunch at a (usually) reliable diner, saw that this old standby now has a "B" sanitation grade, and ended up at a place just around the corner that was head and shoulders above what I would have had at the diner.

The name of this little gem is Beyoglu (pronounced "Bay-OH-loo.")

Borrowing its title from a district in Istanbul, Beyoglu is a Turkish eatery at the corner of E 81st at 3rd Avenue on the UES.  It's one of those neighborhood spots that I've seen filled to the gills with people every time I've passed there, and I've said to myself, "Wonder if they do gluten free?  I'll stop in next time."

Actually, Beyoglu does not have a separate gluten free menu.  However, the hostess and server who greeted me both immediately knew what I was getting at when I told them I had a wheat allergy and pointed out at least a dozen dishes that were inherently safe for me to eat.  (For the most part, the unsafe items revealed themselves pretty clearly on the menu: "cracked wheat taboule" was obviously out, as was the pan-fried, batter-dipped calamari.)

We ended up going with several different small plates, all of them GF, so that we could share and nosh as we wanted.

First, we tried the Sucuk Izgara--a cumin and garlic-spiced cured beef sausage served over some of the best home fries that I've had in quite some time.  While there was a hint of heat, it was nothing that couldn't be tamed by a spoonful of hummus, which had a perfectly creamy texture with just a hint of cumin and garlic.  

Next, we shared the Barbunya Pilaki, which was a light, sunny salad consisting of red kidney beans, carrots, potato, and lemon-infused olive oil, alongside Karides Izgara--grilled shrimp served with lemon wedges and a peppery cocktail sauce that reflected the flavors of the sausage, only kicked up about 5 notches.

Everything was delicious (we cleaned every plate) and priced quite reasonably (plates ranged from $5-$8), the service was fast and very friendly, and the atmosphere was homey and welcoming.  

A great experience overall and worth a repeat visit.

Beyoglu

1431 3rd Ave (at E 81st)

212-650-0850

Beygolu does not have a website.  But check out Zagat.com for its menu.

Gluten-free Latin-Asian Fusion in Murray Hill

Latin-Asian fusion.

(Okay, okay.  It's not as douchey and pretentious as it sounds.  Stick with me here.)

Zengo is chef Richard Sandoval's newest outpost in Manhattan, and it boasts a fairly substantial gluten free menu that artfully combines those two influences.  (Maybe I shouldn't be amazed that stuff like chorizo and Thai spices go so well together, but I have evidence that under artful direction, they do.)

I started with the Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, which was fairly straightforward in its approach, but tasty.  The basic elements were chicken broth and coconut milk with just a hint of Thai spice--enough to feel a little heat on your lips, but not too spicy--with shredded chicken, shredded carrot, and steamed edamame.  All very flavorful, although I found the shredded chicken and carrot a little difficult to scoop up with the dainty soup spoon that they give you.  I was almost wearing it a couple of times.

For my entree, I ordered the gluten free Pan Roasted Mahi-mahi.  Now, this is where the fusion really came together.  The plate came to the table beautifully presented with a perfect hemisphere of steamed rice and perfectly-cooked mahi-mahi topped with what was described as "Yuzu/Ginger-Enchilado Sauce"--in other words, a lightly gingery take on Cuban Enchilado--a tomato- and seafood-based sauce with green pepper and onion.  (Not exactly sure where the yuzu came in.  I know it's a Japanese citrus fruit, but nothing jumped out as being particularly citrusy.  Not that I would have wanted that flavor to jump out and slap me in the face...)  

In any regard, the aforementioned combo would have been enough to rate it a 4-star dish, but then the little surprise of lightly-sweet grilled plantain tucked under the mahi-mahi filet just cinched the whole thing for me.  An elegant blend of textures, flavors, and presentation.

The atmosphere is relaxed but elegant, too.  The decor is very eye-catching--trendy without being cold or feeling too "of the moment."  The real centerpiece of the place is the giant jellyfish-esque chandelier that is suspended over the dining room.  It's truly a thing to marvel at.

As my dining companion joked after the meal, the space itself at 3rd and E 40th has seen its share of restaurants come and go.  But with the fantastic gluten free meal that I enjoyed, I think if any restaurant could break that curse, it's Zengo.

Zengo

622 3rd Ave (@ E 40th)

212-808-8110

Website

Gluten-free menu (PDF)